Socket wrench extension



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spclfr mgm ma'xon origina; .una .my 14,` i949 2 'Sheets-Sheet 1 M4 frm/vir Reissued May 26, 1953 SOCKET WRENCH EXTENSION Edward Thorne Able and Willard Krieger, Denver, Colo., assignors to B. Sweeney Mfg. Co., Denver, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Original No. 2,600,1i'7, dated June 10, 1952, Serial No. 104,644, July 14, 1949. Application for reissue October 8, 1952, Serial No. 313,817

Matter enclosed in heavy brackets j appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a socket Wrench @X- tension device, more particularly designed for use in reaching and rotating the main bearing nuts on diesel engine crank shafts. In the usual large diesel engine, as employed in locomotive work, the

vcrank cases are accessible only through relatively small doors in the side of the crank case. It is exceedingly difficult to reach and rotate the nuts `on the main bearings through these side doors,

-tioned over the main bearing nuts therein, and

which can be actuated from the exterior of the crank case.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the wrench extension device that the torque eiiort exerted on the external extremity thereof Will be greatly multiplied at the wrench extremity thereof.

A further object is to provide a highly efiicient ratcheting mechanism whereby the nuts may be rapidly and easily rotated in either ldesired direction by a simple oscillating motion at the outer extremity.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiiiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views .of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the improved socket wrench extension device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section therethrough, taken onthe line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal, longitudinal section, taken on the line 3 3, of Fig. 2;

Fig. e is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail section, Ataken on the line 4 4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is similarly an enlarged, detail section, taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view of the .outer extremity of the improved socket wrench extension device.

The improved wrench is .designed to present a.

2 relatively flat cross-section so that it may be readily inserted in the limited vertical `spaces available in the conventional locomotive diesel crank case. The Wrench mechanism is enclosed in an elongated flat housing I0 having a ratchet chamber II adjacent its inner extremity.

The remainder of the housing III is closed by means of a removable lcover plate I2 held in place thereon by suitable cap screws I3. The [cap] cover plate I2 is provided with a convenient carrying handle I4 positioned adjacent the outer extremity of the housing I0 so as to facilitate the insertion of the inner extremity thereof into the crank case.

A vertical, hollow power shaft I5 is journalled in suitable anti-.friction bearings I6 in the housing I0 and in suitable bearings I'I in the cover plate I2 adjacent the outer extremity of the wrench. vA set collar I8 is keyed, as indicated at I9, to the upper extremity of the power shaft l5, and is set thereon by means of a suitable set Screw 20 so that the collar Will rotate it as a unit with the shaft I5. The shaft is provided with a noncircular Wrench socket `2I for receiving the plug extremity of any suitable Wrench device, by means of which the power shaft I5 can be rotated.

The arc of rotation o f the power shaft I5 is limited by means o f `a stop arm 22 which is affixed in and projects from the collar I8 so as to swing into contact with stop pins 2,3 mounted on the cover plate I2 at the limits of the are of movement.

A toothed drive pinion 24 is yformed or permanently mounted on the power shaft I5 within the housing I0 and is in constant mesh with the teeth of one Segment of a double-segment `intermediate gear 25. The intermediate gearzgi is mounted on an intermediate gear shaft 26 .lournalled in anti-,friction bearings 21 in the housing Il) .and in similar bearings 23 in the cover` `plate I2. The teeth of the opposite segment of the double-segment intermediate gear 25 are in constant mesh with teeth 29 of a gear segment formed on the free extremity of an actuating lever arm 30. The other extremity of the `lever arm 30 is transversally and horizontally slotted and is hingedly mounted on a removable Wrench Asocket shaft 3| carrying at its upper extremity a nut socket 3 2 for receiving yand engaging the faces of the nut or bolt to be rotated.

The wrench socket shaft 43| is formed with a plurality of .external splines 33 which ntermesh with spline grooves vformed in a lratcllet gear 34 which is v.rmmnted on the socket shaft 3l within vleft-hand tooth 44 at the other side.

the transverse slot in the hinged extremity of the [operating] lever arm 3|).

The shaft 3| is journalled in suitable ball bearings in the top of the ratchetchamber I and in suitable anti-friction radial bearings 3E in the bottom thereof. The ratchet gear 34 moves as a unit with the socket shaft 3|.

A plurality of ratchet teeth 31 are formed in the periphery of the ratchet gear 34. The ratchet teeth 31 are double acting[,] that is, they are pointed with equally and oppositely inclined sides forming a plurality of 90 V-shaped grooves in its periphery. i

Rotation of the ratchet gear 34 is resisted by means of a pointed, tubular ratchet click 38 which is constantly urged into the notches between the teeth 31 by means of a click spring 39. The click 38 and its spring 39 are mounted in a removable plug 40 threaded into the extremity of the housing l0.

The oscillations of the lever arm 3|! are transmitted to the ratchet gear 34 by means of a gen erally circular rocking ratchet pawl 4| mounted in a cylindrical pawl cavity in the arm 30, A pawl pin 42 extends concentrically through the cavity 55vand through the pawl 4| to retain the latter in its cavity.

The rocking pawl 4| is provided with front and rear faces defining parallel chords `of its circular periphery. The front face is provided with a right-hand tooth 43 at one side and a The pawl 4| and the pin 42 are so positioned that the teeth 43 and 44 can be alternately brought into engagement with the notches between the ratchet teeth 31 by simply swinging the pawl back and forth.

The pawl may be swung by means of a reversing post 48 having a foot portion 49 which is attached to the top of the pawl 4| by means of extension device has been inserted through ther4 'side door of a diesel engine crank case and is resting upon the lower edge of the door opening,

y with the [wrench] nut socket 32 extending upwardly about a main bearing nut, and that it is desired to tighten the said nut. lever 5| is swung to the right, causing the plunger 46 to snap over the holding tooth 45 and against the left side thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. This brings the right-hand tooth 43 into contact with the ratchet teeth 31. A turning bar or actuating lever is now inserted in the wrench socket 2| and swung back and forth, the actuating A arc being limited by the position of the stop pins 23. The drive pinion 24 oscillates one extremity of the intermediate gear 25. The other extremity 'ofthe latter 'will oscillate the free extremity of the actuating lever arm 30. As this arm moves clockwise, the pawl 4| will be carried with it and will tend to rotate clockwise about the pin 42, causing the tooth 43 to climb and snap over the `teeth 31. As the tooth 43 climbs the teeth of the ratchet gear, the holding tooth acts against the plunger 46 and compresses the spring 41. The click 38 prevents the ratchet wheel from rotating with the return movement of the pawl.

The` reversing As the [actuating] Zever arm 30 swings counter-clockwise the pawl 4| tends to rotate in the same direction about the pin 42 and [faces] forces the tooth 43 into the notch between the teeth 31 so as to force the ratchet gear 34 to the right, causing the click 38 to ride over the ratchet teeth. The rotation of the ratchet gear 34 is transmitted through the splines 33 to the nut socket 32, and from thence to the nut in place therein.

To unscrew the nut, it is only necessary to swing the reversing lever 5| to the left to place the left-hand tooth 44 in contact with the teeth [41] 37 and to place the holding plunger 46 on the opposite side of the central holding tooth 45.

It will be noted that a multiplied torque is obtained proportional to the difference in pitch radius between the drive pinion 24 and the actuating lever arm 30. The stop pins 23 are so positioned that the arc of movement of the intermediate gear 25 will be limited to the confines of the housing ID. Dowel pins 54 are provided in the housing IIJ which enter receiving openings in the cover plate I2 to facilitate the positioning of the latter over the various shafts in the housing I0.

The socket shaft 3| can be simply lifted from place and replaced by others to suit the particular nuts being worked upon.

It is desired to call attention to the fact that the pawl 4| is generally circular and that it ts snugly into the cylindrical [socket] pawl cavity 55 so that the reactive thrust of the pawl is absorbed by the wall of the [socket] pawl cavity 55, and not by the pin 42. Therefore, much greater stresses can be sustained than would be accommodated by the cross-section of the pin 42.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An extension wrench device comprising; an elongated housing; la power shaft provided with a wrenchereceiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing; a wrench shaft provided with a nut-receiving socket mounted in the inner extremity of said housing; a toothed drive pinion xedly mounted on said power shaft; a lever arm of greater length than width rotatably mounted on said wrench shaft and projecting to one side only of the latter; an intermediate gear positioned between said pinion and the free extremity of said lever arm within said housing and in mesh with said drive pinion; teeth on the free extremity of said` lever arm in mesh with said intermediate gear so that oscillation of said power shaft will be transmitted through said intermediate gear to said lever arm; and means transmitting the oscillation of said lever arm to said Wrench shaft.

2. An extension wrench device comprising; van elongated housing; a power shaft provided with a Wrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing; a wrench shaft provided With a nut-receiving socket mounted in the inner extremity of said housing; a toothed drive pinion iixedly mountedon said power shaft; a lever arm of greater length than width rotatably mounted on said wrench shaft and projecting to one side only of the latter; an intermediate gear positioned between said pinion and the free extremity of said lever arm within said housing and A.in mesh with said drive pinion; teeth on the free extremity 'of said lever arm in mesh with said intermediate gear so that oscillation of said power shaft will be transmitted through said intermediate gear to said lever arm; a ratchet gear affixed on said wrench shaft; and a ratchet pawl mounted in an opening formed in said lever arm adjacent said ratchet gear and acting against said ratchet gear to transmit the oscillation of said lever arm into rotation of said wrench shaft.

` 3. An extension wrench device comprising; an elongated housing of greater length than width; a 'power shaft provided with a wrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing; a wrench shaft provided with a nutreceiving socket mounted in the inner extremity of said housing; a toothed drive pinion fixedly mounted on said power shaft; a lever arm of greater length than width rotatably mounted on said wrench shaft and projecting to one side only of the latter; an intermediate gear position between said pinion and the free extremity of said lever arm within said housing'and in mesh with said drive pinion; teeth on the free extremity of said lever arm in mesh with said intermediate gear so that oscillation of said power shaft will be transmitted through said intermediate gear to said lever arms; a ratchet gear afxed on said wrench shaft; a ratchet pawl mounted in an opening formed in said lever arm adjacent said ratchet gear and acting against said ratchet gear to transmit the oscillation of said lever arm into rotation of said wrench shaft, the width of said housing acting to limit the arc of movement of said lever arm to less than 360.

4. An extension wrench device comprising: an elongated housing of greater length than width; a` power shaft provided with a wrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing; a wrench shaft provided with a. nutreceiving socket mounted in the inner extremity of said housing; a toothed drive pinionflxedly mountedon said power shaft; a lever arm of greater length than width rotatably mounted on said wrench shaft and projecting to one side only of the latter; an intermediate gear positioned between said pinion and the free extremity of said lever arm within said housing and in mesh with said drive pinion; teeth on the free extremity of said lever' arm in mesh with said intermediate gear so that oscillation of said power shaft will be transmitted through said intermediate gear to said lever arm; a ratchet gear affixed on said wrench shaft; a ratchet pawl rotatably mounted in said lever arm and engaging said ratchet gear to transmit movement from said lever arm to said wrench shaft, said intermediate gear having a greater length than width so as to correspond to the shape of the elongated housing, the width of said housing limiting the arc of rotation of said intermediate gear to less than 360.

5. An extension wrench device comprising: an elongated housing of greater length than width; a power shaft provided with a wrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housinglfJ; a wrench shaft provided with a nutreceiving socket mounted in the inner extremity of said housing; a toothed drive pinion xedly mounted on said power shaft; a lever arm of greater length than width rotatably mounted on said wrench shaft and projecting to one side only of the latter; an intermediate shaft in said housing intermediate said wrench shaft and said power shaft; a relatively narrow, double-segment, intermediate gear of greater length than width mounted on said intermediate shaft, the segments of said gear extending in opposite 4aligned directions, the drive pinion being in mesh with one of said segments; teeth on the free extremity of said lever arm in mesh with the other of said segments so that oscillation of said power shaft will be transmitted through said intermediate gear to said lever arm; and ratchet means mounted on said lever arm for rotating said ratchet gear in consequence of the oscillation of said lever [arms] arm, the width of said housing being ins-uihcient to allow complete rotation of said intermediate gear.

6. An extension wrench device comprising: an elongated housing of greater length than width; a power shaft prov-ided :with a wrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing; a wrench shaft provided with -a nutreceiving socket mounted in the inner extremity of said housing; a toothed drive pinion xedly mounted on said power shaft; an intermediate shaft in said housing; an intermediate gear of greater length than Width rotatably mounted on said intermediate shaft in mesh at one extremity with said drive gear; an elongated lever arm; teeth in one extremity of said lever arm in mesh with the opposite extremity of said intermediate gear; a shaft opening in the other extremity of said lever arm axially parallel to said drive and intermediate shafts, the latter extremity of the lever arm being slotted in a plane at right angles to the axis of said shaft opening; a wrench shaft passing through and rotatable within said opening; a -ratchet gear keyed on said wrench shaft within the slot in said lever arm; means journalling said wrench shaft in said housing; and ratchet means mounted on said lever arm and engaging said ratchet gear to rotate the latter in consequence of oscillationof said lever arm the width of said housing being insufficient to allow complete rotation of said intermediate gear and said lever arm.

'7. An extension `wrench device comprising: an elongated, relatively iiat housing; a hollow power shaft journalled in said housing and extending therethrough adjacent one extremity of the latter and at right angles to the plane thereof; means on said power shaft limiting the rotation thereof to a predetermined arc; a toothed drive pinion affixed on said power shaft within said housing; an intermediate, opposed, double-segment gear rotatably mounted in said housing with one segment in mesh with said drive pinion; a wrench socket shaft rotatably mounted in, and extending through, said housing adjacent the other extremity thereof; a ratchet gear amxed on said wrench socket shaft within said housing; and actuating lever arm, one extremity of said lever wrm being bifurcated to receive said ratchet gear. and being hingedly connected with said socket shaft on both sides of said ratchet gear, the other extremity of said lever arm being in mesh with the other segment of said double-segment gear; double-acting, peripheral ratchet teeth on said ratchet gear; a reversible ratchet pawl mountedv in, and movable with, said actuating lever arm and contacting said teeth; and pawl-reversing means mounted on said pawl and extending to the exterior of said housing.

8. An extension Wrench device as described in claim 7 in which the wrench socket shaft is axially withdrawable from the ratchet gear for interchange purposes, and having means for slidable engagement between said socket shaft and said ratchet gear for communicating the rotation ofthe latter to the former.

9. Anextensionwrench device comprising: an elongated housing; a power shaft provided with a wrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing; a wrench shaft provided with a nut-receiving socket mounted on the inner extremity of said housing; a drive opinion ftxedly mounted on said power shaft; a lever arm of greater length than width including the segment of a gear rotatably mounted on said wrench shaft and projecting to one side only of the latter; tooth-engaging means transmitting movement from said drive pinion to said lever arm so that said lever arm will oscillate in consequence of oscillation of said power shaft; a ratchet gear alxed on said wrench shaft; a ratchet pawl mounted in said lever arm and acting against said ratchet gear to transmit the oscillation of said lever arm into rotation of said wrench shaft, said wrench shaft passing rotatably through a shaft opening in one extremity of said lever arm, said latter extremity having a slot positioned at right angles to the of said shaft opening, said ratchet gear being positioned within said slot and having double-acting ratchet teeth thereon, said pawl being reversibly mounted in said lever arm and being movable with the latter into contact with said teeth; and pawl-reversing means mounted on said pawl and extending to the exterior of said housing. i 10. An extension wrench device as defined in claim 9 in which the wrench shaft is axially withdrawab'le from the ratchet gear for interchange purposes, and having means for transmitting rotation from said wrench shaft to said ratchet gear.

11. An extension wrench device comprising: an elongated housing; a power shaft provided with a wrench-receiving socket mounted in the outer extremity of said housing; a wrench shaft pro-A vided with a nut-receiving socket mounted on the inner extremity of said housing; a drive pinion fixedly mounted on said power shaft; a lever arm of greater length than width including the segment of a grear rotatably mounted on said wrench shaft and projecting to one side only of the latter, said drive pinion being operatively associated with said segment of a gear so that` said lever arm oscillate in consequence of oscillation of said power shaft; a ratchet gear affixed on said wrench shaft; a ratchet pawl mounted in said lever arm and acting against said ratchet gear to transmit the oscillation of said Zever arm into rotation of said wrench shaft, said wrench shaft passing rotatably through a shaft opening in one extremity of said lever arm, said latter extremity having a slot positioned at right angles to the axis of said shaft opening, said ratchet gear being positioned within said slot and having doubleacting ratchet teeth thereon, said pawl being reversibily mounted in said lever arm and being movable with the latter into contactwith said teeth; and pawl-reversing means mounted on said pawl and extending to the exterior of said housing.

EDWARD THORNE ABLE. WILLARD KRIEGER.

References Cited in the le of this patent or the original patent y UNITED STATES PATENTS y Date 

